Rather than picking up after the events of the first game, Nioh 2 tells a whole new story with a different protagonist (player-created). Nioh 2 also introduces a few new weapons into the mix, but one of the best choices for beginners is still the trusty single sword, the katana. Versatile and easy to learn, the katana will do a good job of making Nioh 2Complex Fighting easier for you while still being powerful enough to cut the yokai into ribbons from start to finish. Thanks to the game's extremely flexible gear system, there isn't a better final loadout, but there are ways to make sure you get the most out of your Nioh 2 sword build.
We explain in detail how to make a good sword construction in this guide, but if you are just interested in the basics, we have put our recommendations for a good katana construction beginning at the end.
Best stats for Nioh 2 swords
Each Nioh 2 weapon is tied to a particular character stat, increasing damage the higher that stat is. For swords, the key stat is Heart, so the first step in any Nioh 2 katana building is to raise your heart as quickly as possible. Fortunately, Heart is also the stat that determines how much Ki you have, so you'll be increasing this all-important meter at the same time you increase your sword damage.
That doesn't mean you just have to dump every stat point you get in Heart, though. Especially through your first few levels, make sure you pay attention to the body, which increases your health reserve. You should try to level the heart and body roughly equally until you hit 10 bodies, then you can start to focus on getting as much heart as possible. From this point on, Heart should be the default stat that you upgrade whenever you can, unless you have a specific reason to increase another stat.
The best equipment to build Nioh 2 swords
The most common reason for leveling up other than Heart in a Nioh 2 sword building is to enable equipment skills. Nioh 2 has three classes of defensive gear - light, medium, and heavy - and each has different stat requirements to unlock their skills. For light armor, you will have to improve the body and skills; for medium armor, focus on body and strength; and for heavy armor, you need strength and stamina. Don't be afraid to mix and match gear classes, but always make sure you meet the stat requirements to unlock your gear special skills or you'll be at a serious disadvantage.
That being said, leveling the strength to wear medium armor is a good replacement choice for sword builds. The medium armor encourages a balanced approach that matches the katana's playstyle, and the strength improves both your Ki Pulse and the maximum weight of your gear, which will come in handy anyway. Whatever you choose to wear, try to keep the weight of your gear as low as possible. If your gear's weight count turns red, it will drastically reduce your mobility and increase the amount of Ki you use with each action. Try to keep this number as low as possible. Keeping it in the green range (30-69% of your max load) is ideal, but builds with heavier armor can venture into the yellow range (70-99%) if you don't mind the loss of 'agility.
When choosing armor skills, look for the ones that best benefit your specific playstyle. Gear that massively increases poison damage might sound nice, but not if it's the only part of your build that has something to do with poison. You'll get to know your own playstyle better with practice, but for starters, skills that enhance Ki recovery and increase mid-position damage are reliable additions to any sword build. Another important stat to watch out for is toughness. Higher tenacity results in less Ki lost when blocking, which can be even more important than pure defense depending on your playstyle. Unfortunately, high tenacity usually comes from heavier armor.
As for your sword itself, you should once again choose what suits your playstyle rather than the one with the best raw damage. A large skill set can compensate for slightly suboptimal damage. A particularly solid choice is the Tokagemaru. This yokai sword deals damage to enemy Ki, giving you more possibilities to attack safely. Once you find the smithing text for this weapon, you can craft it using some fairly common materials.
Best secondary weapon for Nioh 2 swords
The katana may be Nioh 2's most versatile weapon in Europe, but it may not be ideal for every encounter. Since you can equip two melee weapons at a time in Nioh 2, you'll want to choose a secondary weapon that complements your stats and playstyle. To complete a solid sword build by following our tips so far, your top picks are are to use the spear, odachi or ax as a backup weapon. Spear damage varies with body, while odachi and (to a lesser extent) ax damage with strength, so you should already have decent damage with one of these weapons.
Related: How to respec your character and skills in Nioh 2
They also work well to compensate for the shortcomings of the katana. The spears will give you excellent range, allowing you to deal damage to enemies while keeping them at bay, or just soften them up for a final blow with the sword. The odachi and ax deal massive damage in situations where the sword doesn't quite cut it. The odachi also has better reach than the ax and scales better with strength, giving it the edge if you can master its slow and somewhat difficult movement.
Best skills for the sword built in Nioh 2
The final part of building your Nioh 2 sword is choosing weapon skills. Like armor skills, the best choice is highly dependent on your particular playstyle, but there are definitely a few strengths that are must-have.
Ripple - Allows you to deflect attacks to unbalance enemies with perfectly synchronized blocks. Can be upgraded to respond to a strong counterattack that knocks enemies down on the ground.
Iai Quickdraw - Sheath your sword, then charge one for a fast and powerful attack. Can be upgraded to recharge further and automatically charge on a successful Ki Pulse.
Morning light - Allows you to attack while getting back to your feet after being knocked down.
Relentless - Increases your total Ki when holding a sword.
Nioh 2 Integrated Advanced Sword
Once you get the hang of the Nioh 2 katana, you might be tempted to try more advanced strategies, especially if you've found armor or weapons that increase elemental damage. While a standard sword build can get you through the whole game, crafting your own unique build can be very rewarding. Some options include adding Ninjutsu or Onmyo Magic into the mix to give you elemental attacks or ninja tools to play with, but this will require you to reset your skills. You can do this by purchasing a Blacksmith Reincarnation Book, but be aware that this is extremely expensive at the start of the game, and it costs more each time you buy one. If you're ready to take the plunge, you might want to consider following an advanced building guide like Division RPG Elemental Sword Building or Lightning God Built from FightinCowboy on YouTube to give you some tips. .
Nioh 2 sword building basics
Choose the katana as your starting weapon and the odachi as your secondary weapon. Increase your body stat to 10, then focus on getting your body and strength stats as high as needed to activate armor skills on the best medium armor you can find. Put all the other points in Heart.
Look for gear skills that increase your Ki and improve your mid-stance damage. Keep the weight of your gear below 70% of maximum if possible, and look for armor with high resistance. Look for weapons that increase your Ki damage and your medium position damage. The Tokagemaru is a strong katana early in the game after you acquire its forge text.
Pick up the Iai Quickdraw, Backwave, Morning Light, and Relentless skills as soon as possible. Learn how to time your blocks to unbalance enemies with Backwave and use Iai Quickdraw for massive burst damage.
After you've learned the basics and if you have the gear to support a more advanced playstyle, consider resetting your stats by purchasing a Reincarnation Book and incorporating elemental damage like poison or lightning into your build. .
